Forest defenders are stopping the logging of an exquisite, ancient jarrah forest west of Bridgetown this morning after it was carved out of a proposed National Park to make it available for logging.

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“Dalgarup is very well known and loved to Bridgetown locals who fought hard for it be protected through the 1990s,” said WAFA convener Jess Beckerling.

“It was protected in a proposed National Park by the Gallop Government back in 2004, but this section being defended today was then secretly carved off under the Barnett Government.

“You can immediately see why it was originally within the boundaries of the National Park. It is absolutely spectacular jarrah country.

“Our emergency old-growth nomination has been rejected by DBCA, which has apparently already carried out an assessment and found the areas where the logging is currently happening not to meet the definition.

“Either there was an error in the assessment process, or this just goes to show what a joke the current definition of old-growth is in WA.

“There are ancient trees, a open and very diverse understorey, and fauna diggings everywhere. DBCA has records of critically endangered Western Ringtail Possums in there, as well as Quokkas, Chuditch, Brush-tailed Phascogales, Red-tailed- Carnaby’s and Baudin’s Cockatoos and Western-Brush Wallabies.

“Dalgarup forest is teeming with life – and the fauna in there, such as the critically endangered Western Ringtail Possum, are teetering on the edge of extinction. It should be criminal to be logging habitat for endangered wildlife.

“We are so grateful to the brave people currently stopping logging in Dalgarup. This is an emergency situation for this forest and its wildlife. We need this problem properly addressed and fixed by the McGowan Government.

“The South West’s native forests must be protected: for climate, communities, wildlife and water. They are worth so much more standing.” said Ms Beckerling.

Contact: Jess Beckerling | WAFA convener | 0488 777 592